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100 jobs dripping on down to Fresno
Irrigation subsidiary in SoCal plans to expand its Valley operations.
By Jeff St. John / The Fresno Bee
A subsidiary of one of the world's largest irrigation equipment makers is expanding its Fresno plant, with plans to add 100 jobs over the next year and a half and help beautify its corner of southeast Fresno.
Ontario-based Aquarius Brands Inc. announced Wednesday that it will be shifting its Southern California operations to Fresno to take advantage of the Central Valley's position as the heart of the California agricultural irrigation market.
Aquarius, a subsidiary of India-based drip irrigation equipment maker Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., will be expanding its 112,000-square-foot facility at 2851 E. Florence Ave. by leasing an additional 75,000 square feet in an adjoining building, said Dave Abrams, company president.
That move, expected to begin in September and cost about $1 million, will be followed by an expansion of jobs at the Fresno plant, he said.
"Of course, we plan on growing the business significantly," Abrams said.
By the end of 2008, the Fresno facility is expected to add about 100 jobs to its current roster of 49 full-time employees, with most of the new employees expected to be hired in the Fresno area, he said.
The presence of Fresno State's Center for Irrigation Technology and similar irrigation industry facilities was another reason for consolidating Aquarius' operations in Fresno, Abrams added.
"Having the opportunity to develop technologies and then go within a few miles and be able to test them is invaluable," he said.
Aquarius' expansion could offer opportunities for California State University, Fresno, students and faculty to work with the company on developing new technologies, noted Dave Zoldoske, director of the university's International Center for Water Technology.
Along with the cost of expanding its facility, Aquarius has agreed to roughly $500,000 in landscape and architectural improvements at the site, Abrams said -- a decision the company made in consultation with Fresno's Redevelopment Agency in hopes of improving the neighborhood, he said.
"We're going to do our part to really clean up the property, make it attractive and work with the city to make it a cornerstone of redevelopment for south Fresno," Abrams said.
Art Wahlenmaier, project manager at the Redevelopment Agency, said the company's investment would be matched by about $750,000 from the agency and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District for improvements to streets, curbs and storm drain systems at the site.
"First, there's the interest to help renew the area," he said. "Second, it adds new jobs. That's kind of our top priority."
Aquarius also has a plant in Florida. Its parent company, Jain Irrigation Systems, has about 6,000 employees and annual sales of about $350 million, and is traded on the Mumbai Stock Exchange, also known as the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The reporter can be reached at jeffstjohn@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6637.
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